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A Kinder Laguna Did you notice in the Indy that Councilman Steve Dicterow, concerned about the decline of civility in public affairs, is starting a kindness campaign? Most would agree our society is unusually polarized today. From Washington D.C. to city hall, there’s a dearth of...

The Good Rabbi To better understand the Jewish High Holy Days, which started at sunset on Sept. 9, I went to see Rabbi Elimelech Goorevitch at the Chabad Jewish Center. Chabad is an orthodox Jewish movement, said to be the fastest growing, planted in Laguna 24 years ago by Rabbi...

Meaning in Midway I’m writing, for the third and last week, as a self-appointed Indy correspondent to little Midway, a.k.a. the Switzerland of Utah. The temperature is dropping into the 40s at night, the maples on the mountain are turning red, which means it’s time for—Swiss...

Meaning in Relationships Do you remember Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” radio show, with the news report from Lake Wobegon? In fictional Lake Wobegon, the women were strong, the men good looking, and the children all above average. There’s a plethora of such towns...

The Meaning of Family The Beautiful Wife is half Swiss, which explains her height (5 foot 2 inches) and love of chocolate. Her immigrating Swiss ancestors were farmers who settled the mountain village of Midway, Utah back in the 1860s. I’m writing this from the parlor of the...

One-Step Authenticity The word of the week is “authentic,” the flip side of hypocritical. Two weeks ago, I wrote that Mark Twain’s writing reflected his search for truth and authenticity. Twain, though wary of religion, had a spiritual perspective and enjoyed long friendships...

There’s a new acronym—SBNR.  As in ‘spiritual but not religious.’  A lot of people frequent this category.  Pollsters say 20-25 percent describe themselves as SBNR.  They’re on a spiritual quest.  Aren’t we all?  Folks may take a break as life demands, but all seem to have a...

Spiritual but Not Religious I’ve said it before—attending Laguna’s churches is as enjoyable as a sunset walk on the beach.  Last Sunday offered two compelling choices: United Methodist featured the Urban Voices, a choir drawn from the homeless of Los Angeles’ skid row. The Urban...

Burnishing Lost History History is a source of meaning if you can find it. Take the recently refinished outdoor art “Boy and Dog,” on Coast Highway, across from the museum.  Have you seen it?  A bronze statue is expensive to make, but this was donated in 1933 at the bottom of the...

Home Cooking  The meaning of one’s life can be found in the stuff we accumulate.  You get a cultural impression when first entering someone’s home.  The Beautiful Wife wants to see fresh flowers, pictures of loved ones, signs of caring.  I prefer a library of well-worn books. ...

A Place of Healing Ever drive through Time?  I drove up Coast Highway this morning, headed to Boat Canyon Barbershop for a haircut from Lonnie. I left early, so it was a leisurely drive, filled with thoughts.  At Aliso Beach, I recalled the Thurston family who homesteaded where...

 A Place of Healing Ever drive through Time?  I drove up Coast Highway this morning, headed to Boat Canyon Barbershop for a haircut from Lonnie.  I left early, so it was a leisurely drive, filled with thoughts. At Aliso Beach, I recalled the Thurston family who homesteaded where...

Our Greatest Day Biggest day of the year for Laguna’s beaches? The Fourth of July.  No doubt about it. Hitting the beach on July 4 goes back to the 1880s when visitors came by horse and carriage.  A day’s travel was about 20 miles, so they came from El Toro and Santa Ana, plus...

Meaning in Holy Week    With 2 billion faithful, Christianity is the world’s largest and most wide-spread faith. The gospel revealed at the Sermon on the Mount has turned out to be durable, even in the clumsy hands of us mortals. Though a bit battered, it has survived two...

With Wandering Awe One of the pleasures of “Finding Meaning” is I can attend local churches to my heart’s content. I find their services as enjoyable as a sunset stroll on the beach. Here I report on three remarkable yet ordinary congregations who welcomed me. I attended a Friday...